The University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana (C-U) in east-central Illinois. C-U is situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 180 miles northeast of St. Louis.
The twin cities Champaign and Urbana are located in east central Illinois, with a combined population of over 223,000. Champaign and Urbana is a micro-urban community that enjoys the benefits of the big city with the charm of a small town and is home to one of the leading universities in the world.
By Airplane#
Willard Airport#
There is one airport serving Champaign-Urbana: the University of Illinois’ Willard Airport. This airport is located 5 miles from the conference venue and is the preferred airport for air travel to this event. Service is provided by American Airlines, where there are daily flights to and from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) airports.
Many area hotels, including the I-Hotel at the conference venue, have shuttle service that runs to and from Willard Airport (CMI).
Other nearby regional and international airports#
Other airports have connections to major US cities which require that you make additional arrangments (e.g. bus, train, ride-share) to get from them to campus. These airports include:
| Distance (mi.) | Travel time (by car) | Airport Name | IATA airport code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 58m | Bloomington-Normal Regional Airport | BMI |
| 91 | 1h 28m | Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport at Springfield | SPI |
| 96 | 1h 36m | Peoria International Airport | PIA |
| 126 | 1h 59m | Indianapolis International Airport | IND |
| 129 | 2h 26m | Chicago Midway International Airport | MDW |
| 150 | 2h 42m | Chicago O’Hare International Airport | ORD |
| 183 | 2h 45m | St. Louis International Airport | STL |
By Train#
Amtrak provides daily rail passenger service between Champaign-Urbana and Chicago and to points south through Memphis to New Orleans. These trains are a comfortable means of travel with free Wifi. The local Amtrak Station is located within the Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign (2 miles from the conference venue).
Many area hotels, including the I-Hotel at the conference venue, have shuttle service that runs to and from Illinois Terminal.
By Bus/Shuttle#
Peoria Charter (private bus company) serves many different locations including both Chicago Airports (O’Hare and Midway). Pickup is available from Terminal 2 and Terminal 5 at the O’Hare International Airport with multiple drop-off points on campus and the Illinois Terminal.
Greyhound (private bus company) has daily service between downtown Chicago and the Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign.
By Car#
The drive between Champaign-Urbana and Chicago takes approximately 3 hours; between Champaign-Urbana and Indianapolis, approximately 2 hours; and between Champaign-Urbana and St. Louis, approximately 3.5 hours. Of course, driving directions between destinations can obtained through your favorite mapping service (e.g. Google Maps).
For more information#
https://experiencecu.org/trip-planning/getting-here-around
The University’s International Student and Scholar Services department has put together a helpful transportation guide to using the above-mentioned modes of transportation to get to campus from Chicago O’Hare International Airport.